Turf War

It's no secret that Americans love their lawns. In fact, grass is the largest crop in the United States. But as water becomes more scarce and chemical treatments more toxic, an anti-lawn movement has sprouted. Some are questioning whether we should keep our finely-manicured grass or plant gardens instead. Friday, Doug talks lawns with The New Yorker's Elizabeth Kolbert about her article "Turf War," and Ted Steinberg, author of American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn. (Rebroadcast)

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Food and nature writer Michael Pollan says his literary heroes led him astray when he first planted a garden. Theoreau and Emerson had taught him that wilderness is the ultimate form of nature. So, he skipped the fence, only to find himself in a gruesome battle with a woodchuck over the vegetables. Pollan is coming to Utah, and Wednesday, he joins Doug to talk about practical relationships with nature, his journey as a writer about food culture, and his latest interest, psychedelic consciousness.